Nicon

A brother asked one of the Fathers, “How does the devil bring temptations upon the saints?” The elder said: “There was one of the Fathers named Nicon who lived on Mount Sinai. A man went into the tent of a Pharanite, found his daughter alone, and fell into sin with her. He told her, ‘Say that the anchorite Abba Nicon did this to me.’ When her father returned and learned what had happened, he took his sword and went against the elder. When Nicon came out at his knock, the man stretched out his sword to kill him, but his hand withered.

“The Pharanite went and told the priests. They sent for the elder, beat him severely, and wanted to drive him away. He begged them, ‘For God’s sake, let me remain here so that I may repent.’ They separated him for three years and ordered that no one visit him. For three years he came each Sunday, making a prostration.

“Later the man who had committed the sin and put the temptation on the anchorite became possessed by a demon. In the church he confessed, ‘I committed the sin, and I told the girl to accuse the servant of God.’ Then all the people went and made a prostration before the elder, saying, ‘Forgive us, Abba.’ He replied, ‘As for forgiveness, you are forgiven. But I will not remain here with you any longer, because not one of you was found to have enough discernment to show me compassion.’ So the elder left that place. You see how the devil brings temptations upon the saints.”